Eating out is always an expensive let down.

Love eating out… my hobbie!

I live in London and there are some amazing restaurants but also lots of crap that I have decided isn't worth the money and I might as well have a microwave meal from M&S instead.

I had lunch at a Thai place the other day that's part of a small local chain.

Fish cakes and pork fried rice for £12. It would have been quite difficult to make it as nice myself and I'd have needed all sorts of ingredients.

Far better value than the OPs avo toast and I was so stuffed I didn't eat for the rest of the day - would normally have taken most of the rice as leftovers but I was on a day out and CBA to carry it away with me.

Eating out has become more expensive because gas & electric, groceries, wages, and council tax (at least in my area) have all gone up fairly significantly. We all complaining that our supermarket shops are costing way more, so it's not really a surprise that businesses that primarily sell food have to increase prices. It does make it more of a let down when it misses the mark as you have forked out more. But I don't personally feel places are getting worse or that you are more likely to have disappointing meal than 5 years ago. Sometimes you get a dud, but most of the time (if you have a personal recommendation or have looked it up in advance) then it's the quality you expect. And the menu options and prices aren't a surprise!

We have stopped eating out. It costs our family of four about £70 for a chain meal now unless we have a wallet full of vouchers.

Ok so it’s money for you. Then do as you say, don’t eat out much.

I have a 3 course meal at my local pub every week. It’s £22 and it’s a 2 rosette restaurant so the food it always great.

Very much this..which is why I usually avoid Italian places...if I want pasta with a bit of pesto on it I can do it at home...banh mi, not so much.
We have a bunch of favourite places that we know will be good food and good value. Reasonable prices too, a couple of Chinese, Turkish,Thai. We try to avoid chains if possible. Pub food is usually horrible I find, except maybe for a Sunday Roast.

Can I ask what did you expect they would bring when you chose this?

is it maybe you just don’t like spending the money ? So were always going to complain? If it is this, then just don’t have anyting or don’t go. Or chose places where you can split a baguette between you both.

From the title I thought I was going to agree with you, as pre-covid I used to love going out for a nice meal, but the service and quality of food has declined since (as the cost has gone up). But this specific example doesn't seem worth getting worked up about. £13 isn't a lot of money for a sit-down meal. I disagree that eggs, bread and cheese are cheap ingredients. You're also paying for someone to cook and clean up, someone to serve, use of their premises, heating, lighting etc. If I was to make smashed avocado with sourdough and feta I'd be what, at least a fiver just for ingredients?

Agreed. I used to eat out regularly when I was younger and it was far cheaper. But I rarely eat out anymore because I feel like the food isn't great and I can make something better for far less. Not sure if my change in perspective is because my cooking has improved or if food quality served has gone down.

The last few times I’ve been it’s been really disappointing and I’ve had to complain, so it’s now off my list of go-to places.

It is expensive to eat out even for lunch. I’ve been liking Lebanese Comptoir lately but would now like to try one of the more authentic (ie not chain) middle eastern ones, I’m getting a taste for that cuisine.

Well, artisan sourdough and nice eggs are expensive!

So you went to a cafe mid-afternoon, wanted a sandwich but ordered something else and didn’t like it, and thought it was overpriced despite the fact that you could see the price on the menu and understood that it would consist primarily of bread, avocado and feta? Or are you saying the menu misled you because the actual dish didn’t have shallots or sweetcorn whatever?

Did you not get the 'sweetcorn pica and crispy shallots'?

If not I'd have asked them about the missing bits.

But it is always worth sense checking the description to see through the flowery language to work out what you're actually getting.

I know it's not the same thing but McDonalds make a big thing about their ever rotating selection of special burgers but it doesn't take a genius to work out that every single one of them is a bacon double cheese burger with a different sauce and variety of lettuce.

I wouldn't call going to a cafe eating out, and I wouldn't expect much from it in the UK (unless I already knew the place). Same as garden centre food, usually rubbish. They're generally for workers picking up something quick on a daily basis and they don't much care about a nice experience.

There are a lot of places now that are one step up from a cafe, like lounge bar style, and they typically do nicer food.

I think that's the way to do it. It makes it a special treat too.

£13 for avocado eggs and toast is probably on the expensive side but it depends where you ate but the price would have been on the menu it wasn't a surprise.

Having said that I do think a disproportionate amount of brunch-style cafes fall into the "overpriced" category for me - I have also experienced the unfortunate sliver of avocado on single vaguely toasted slice of bread. I just don't go out for brunch much, it's no great loss.

At a local family run business I had a delicious warmed crispy baguette with a generous amount of tuna/finely chopped onion and tomato, a lovely salad and a few chips .Shared this with a friend.

Also no business wants you to come and use their facilities while sharing a single sandwich with another adult.